It's Not That Bad
by Izora Jade
Summary: The tradegies of AIM conversations.... Duo's friends think it would be funny to play a pratical joke on Duo and pretend to be Heero on an AIM conversation.....


**It's Not That Bad **

Duo logged unto the internet, hoping to chat it up with Heero, this super yummy guy who looked like hot sex on toast who was in a few of his classes this semester and Duo was totally crushing on him lately.

But, unfortunately, Heero had been absent today, and Duo really wanted to find out where he was.

Alas, Heero aka: zero678 was not on AOL Instant Messenger.

Duo's heart fell, when suddenly, a message popped up.

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Perfect_Soilder_01: Hey there, Duo! 

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Duo stared at the monitor. Heero never used explanation points. But this could defiantly be one of his screen names. 

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Shingami_Maxwell: Er...is this Heero? 

Perfect_Soilder_01: Duh. Who else would it be? 

Shingami_Maxwell: Um...so...Heero.... Where were you all day? and y did u change ur screen name? 

Perfect_Soilder_01: Waiting for you, sexy 

Perfect_Soilder_01: I got sick of my old one

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Duo's practically fainted. Sexy? Heero called him sexy?! Were his dreams FINALLY coming true? 

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Shingami_Maxwell: So Herro...I.... 

Perfect_Soilder_01: do u wanna cyber? 

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Duo's eyes fell out of his head as he read this simple sentence. 

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Shingami_Maxwell: wha? 

Perfect_Soilder_01: c'mon, Duo-babee Lets cyber! Pretty please? 

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Why was he refusing? It wasn't real sex, but this at least meant Heero found him attractive enough to jack off to. Why not? What harm could it do? 

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Shingami_Maxwell: ok r u sure? 

Perfect_Soilder_01: I've never been so sure about anything 

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Tasuki giggled as Duo's reply to ' I've never been so sure about anything' popped up. 

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Shingami_Maxwell: really? cuz I really want to.... 

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He typed back. 

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Perfect_Soilder_01: of course I wanna. ur so hot im hard just thinking about wut I wanna do to u 

Shingami_Maxwell: ^_^ really? ::blushes:: well I mean ur like hot sex on toast, Heero! you rock my face hardcore and ive wanted you 4ever 

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Tasuki laughed outrageously. 

"What did he type?" Wufei asked anxiously as he returned from the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn and two sodas. 

"He said that Heero was like 'hot sex on toast!' Isn't that cuuuuute?" 

Wufei rolled his eyes as Tasuki took a handful of popcorn. 

"Blech, Wufei!" Tasuki cried, picking up another handful and throwing it at him. "Is this that all natural crap?" 

Wufei frowned. "It's healthy this way." 

"I don't care! Get your ass *back* in the kitchen and salt and butter this *properly*." 

"Okay," Wufei sighed, then trooped back to the kitchen, muttering under his breath. 

"And these better not be diet sodas, either!" Tasuki called after him. 

Then he turned back to the computer and resumed his role as Heero. 

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Perfect_Soilder_01: so, r u ready?

Shingami_Maxwell: ive been waiting! ^_^

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Duo giggled nervously. He couldn't believe this was actually happening!

He popped a CD into his drive with different songs about sex that he had originally burned for his best friend, Tasuki, but he had kept a copy of it for himself.

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Shingami_Maxwell: r u listening to any music

Perfect_Soilder_01: nope, u?

Shingami_Maxwell: yea a mix cd of sex songs I burned for my best friend. u know Tasuki, right?

Perfect_Soilder_01: is he that redhead I always see u hanging out with around campus?

Shingami_Maxwell: yup! he's my best friend in the **whole** world. we've been best friends forever and I hope it stays that way! he'd never betray me or anything like that. I'd trust him with my life.

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Tasuki read the message that had popped up on the screen and flinched.

"Ouch," he muttered as Wufei returned with the now heavily buttered popcorn.

"What?"  
"Look what he just wrote."

Wufei read it quickly to himself.

"So?"

"So?! Wufei.... I'm his best friend! I can't do this to him."

"Aw, c'mon. If he's your best friend, he'll just laugh it off in the morning."

Tasuki thought silently for a moment.

"Well, I guess...."

Wufei nodded, urging him.

"Well, we're in to far to back out now."

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Perfect_Soilder_01: so, do u wanna pick the setting?

Shingami_Maxwell: um...sure.....

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Duo thought for a moment. Where was somewhere romantic...?

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Shingami_Maxwell: how about the beach?

Perfect_Soilder_01: whatever *you* want

Shingami_Maxwell: ok 

Perfect_Soilder_01: what r u wearing?

Shingami_Maxwell: hmmm....im naked!

Perfect_Soilder_01: that sounds good. we can go skinny-dipping in the ocean

Shingami_Maxwell: okay ::grabs ur hand and pulls you into the water::

Perfect_Soilder_01: splashes u playfully is the water too cold for u, Duo-chan?

Shingami_Maxwell: a bit, yes. ::snuggles up against ur chest:: but ur warm

Perfect_Soilder_01: tugs gently on ur braid so ur looking up @ me Duo-chan?

Shingami_Maxwell: yes, Heero-kun?

Perfect_Soilder_01: did ne1 ever tell u how beautiful u r?

Shingami_Maxwell: no....

Perfect_Soilder_01: oh...Duo-chan.... reaches up and gingerly touches ur face so beautiful, so soft....

Shingami_Maxwell: Heero....

Perfect_Soilder_01: shh.... leans down and places a tender kiss on ur lips

Shingami_Maxwell: ::wraps arms around ur neck and pulls u deeper into the kiss::

Perfect_Soilder_01: slips tongue into mouth, slowly exploring lips

Shingami_Maxwell: ::meets tongue and presses against it::

Shingami_Maxwell: ::breaks away::

Shingami_Maxwell: ::licks at ur neck, sucking on ur skin running hands through ur hair::

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"This is a bit hard Wufei," Tasuki told him.

"Yeah, me too."

Tasuki looked at him strange. "You're not typing Wu-chan."

Wufei blushed lightly. "Never mind. I thought you were talking about something else."

"I don't think that we should be doing this.... I don't think I can *write* this."

"Can't be that hard. Just think about what you want to do to me."

Tasuki looked up at him even stranger. "What? Punch you for getting me involved in this shit?"

Wufei sighed.

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Perfect_Soilder_01: Duo.. pulls u in closer to chest, gently grinding against u.

Shingami_Maxwell: ::gasp:: Heero... ::wimpers::

Shingami_Maxwell: ::slowly traces hands against chest, moving upward, pressing lightly, licking up::

Shingami_Maxwell: ::traces nipple with tongue::

Perfect_Soilder_01: unbinds hair runs hand thru hair

Perfect_Soilder_01: pushes u down into the shallow water

Shingami_Maxwell: ::shivers:: ::pulls u down ontop of body:: Heero... I...I can't believe

Perfect_Soilder_01: kisses ur lips lightly

Shingami_Maxwell: ::kisses back::

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Slowly Duo unzippered his pants as he sunk into the idea of Heero touching his body and kissing him so tenderly....

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Shingami_Maxwell: ::thrusts up against u::

Shingami_Maxwell: Heero! ::kisses u hungrly::

Perfect_Soilder_01: breaks kiss slids lips down against ur body

Shingami_Maxwell: claws lighty at bac i need you1

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Tasuki paused.

"Wufei, I think he's really getting off on this...."

Wufei laughed. "This is great!"

Tasuki had his doubts on how great this truly was...

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Perfect_Soilder_01: kisses ur erection with feather-light lips

Shingami_Maxwell: :::scarems pullsa at your ahri and wrapps legs around yoaur waist

Shingami_Maxwell: thrusts into ur mouth i want you do you

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Tasuki paused again. It was becoming hard to decipher what it was Duo was trying to say.

Tasuki was afraid to think of the possibilities as to why it was becoming harder to decipher what Duo was trying to say.

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Perfect_Soilder_01: I've always wanted you Duo. Of course I want u.

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Tasuki typed back the reply with growing guilt.

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Shingami_Maxwell: oh god realease...

Perfect_Soilder_01: licks at u whispers My turn

Perfect_Soilder_01: gently rolls u over, sucking ur neck

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Duo fell over. He'd just released and already found himself getting hard at the idea of Heero fucking him entire.

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Shingami_Maxwell: TAKEMETAKEME

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The loud words struck a chord in Tasuki.

Duo *was* getting into it.

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Perfect_Soilder_01: explores u gently with fingers

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Tasuki couldn't believe he was writing the words. To his best friend, no less, as a sick joke.

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Shingami_Maxwell: crys out ur name

Shingami_Maxwell: i need to fel youinsdem e

Shingami_Maxwell: INEEDUHEERO

Perfect_Soilder_01: explodes into your body

Shingami_Maxwell: cries in raptureivewanted youf or solo ngs andnow i jut have yo and ionly iwa nt i

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Tasuki didn't bother trying to get through that mass of fuddled words.

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Perfect_Soilder_01: Duo....

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"Wufei!" Tasuki cried. "Wufei!"

"Wait a second! I'm in the bathroom!"

"You've been in there for five minutes," Tasuki muttered. "You leave me to do all the dirty work alone...."

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Shingami_Maxwell: Tellmeyou love me plesae tel me im import ant adnd that yu won't leavemea nd wil hjold me

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Tasuki couldn't bring himself to type the words that Duo asked of him.

That was too mean.

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Shingami_Maxwell: il just love yu foevr ifyole tme andadn illl be ggod adkis and cherishyou

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Tasuki realized that the farther Duo went with this the more he was going to be hurt, but he couldn't respond! He couldn't make his fingers type the words!

"Wufei! Get your sorry ass in here! I can't do this!"

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Shingami_Maxwell: ::puls you into watter:;kisses you;; Ilove you

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Finally Wufei reappeared.

"Took you long enough!" Tasuki cried in anger and stood, handing the computer over to him. "You got me into this mess and now you can get it out."

Wufei sat down.

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Perfect_Soilder_01: Of course I love you Duo. Since I saw you I loved you. You're the only thing that means anything to me in life.

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Duo was sobbing into his messy hands, barely able to see the screen let alone type.

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Shingami_Maxwell: iloeyuiloveyoiloveyouiloveyouiloveyuo

Shingami_Maxwell: iwsh that this wasnt overcomputersiwish icoldhold youinmy handsandthatyouwouldnoldmebacand ii want iwa nt you

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He hugged himself, as Heero typed at he was holding him in his arms right then.

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Shingami_Maxwell: I'll always love you Heero. You're the only onefor me.

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~~~

"I don't care what you say, Wufei," Tasuki told him the next morning. "I'm going to tell Duo what happened because I don't want him to make a fool out of himself Monday."

"What?! That takes all the fun and purpose of out the entire thing!"

"He's my best friend! I can't let him make a fool out of himself like that!"

Tasuki grabbed the phone and dialed his number.

Wufei growled in the corner.

Tasuki cursed when he picked up the answering machine and slammed the phone down.

Wufei snickered.

~~~

Duo was happy. He even decided to go visit his annoying kid sister who'd been wanting him to visit for*ever* after finding out that Heero wasn't home. Duo wondered where he disappeared too so fast, but he figured that everything would be okay.

Just as he returned home late Sunday night, Tasuki had finally given up waiting for him to come home and instead would try to catch him before school. Neither of them knew how close they were to meeting each other.

Tasuki couldn't sleep all night, worry gnawing at him so. Wufei felt incredibly bad, but what was done was done and he couldn't take it back.

Duo couldn't sleep all night, but for his excitement to see Heero the next day.

~~~

"Heero!" Duo cried, dashing through the parking lot to throw his arms around his neck.

Heero panicked.

You see, for a very long time he'd been battling it out with his homosexuality. He didn't want to admit it, being raised orthodox Christian, but once he'd thrown off the cloak of Christianity, he began to see himself for what he was. That, in fact, was one of the things that had broken down the thick wall of belief he had been raised with. That and discovering that God wasn't going to strike you down for every petty mistake you ever made.

And he totally had a crush on Duo.

Duo was like the cream in his coffee, the sugar in his tea, the 'o' in porn.... I mean, what would coffee be without cream? And what would tea be without sugar? And what would porn be without the 'o'? Two nasty drinks and prn, that's what!

Everything Duo did was exciting, every time Duo smiled it was like the sun, every time--

Okay, no more stupid analogies.

Heero was in love with Duo and his little mind was screaming 'Does he know? How does he know?! Who else knows?! No one can know I might be gay! I'm not gay! I don't think I'm gay! I'm just in love with him! God help me! I'm in love with him! He's touching me! His hands are on me! His crotch is right up against mine! OH my GOD! His crotch is right against mine! He has his hands on me!'

"Where were you Heero?" Duo purred as he snuggled into his chest as Heero just stood there much like a stone would if it was being hugged. "I've missed you so much. Maybe we can have a repeat session of what we did on the computer, huh?"

Suddenly Heero did the only thing he could think of to do.

He threw Duo off of him.

Duo hit the ground hard and there was the loud 'thump' of flesh meeting pavement.

This was all Tasuki saw.

Duo's eyes filled up with tears as he chomped down on his bottom lip, trying to lift himself off the pavement as his now torn up arm began to bleed.

"What in the fuck are you talking about?!" Heero screamed in agony.

'What in the fuck do you think your doing?!' his heart scolded. 'You love this man! Who *cares* what he's talking about, you love him and he was right there in your arms!'

His brain, however, was telling him something very different. 'You let him hug you! You let another man hug you! Now people will think you're a fag! You can't let people think you're a fag! You don't love him and you aren't a homo! How could you let him hug you?! It's wrong for men to hug!'

Heero tried not to pull out his hair in frustration as Duo sobbed, clutching his arm as he stood shakily, the blood slipping through his fingers and running down his arm, staining his clothing.

"Heero...." he whispered. "I thought...I thought you loved me.... Friday night, with the computers.... I can't believe I cared for you Heero Yuy!" he finally shrieked and there was a loud 'shmack' as he threw his bloody arm up and punched Heero smack in the jaw, knocking him off balance with the force of it.

With that, he ran from the scene and into his car.

Tasuki was...stunned as he raced after Duo.

He was going to fucking murder Wufei! Why did he agree? Oh, he knew why. Wufei would have done it anyway. Why did he let him?

He tapped lightly on Duo's car window as he sat there, just sat there, wrapping up his bleeding arm in a shirt, crying.

He unlocked the doors and Tasuki slid inside, and he promptly relocked them.

"Are you okay?" Tasuki finally asked as Duo had finished his wrapping.

"No," he replied, trying to calm his tears.

"I have a confession," Tasuki whispered.

"I loved him too!" Duo continued, not acknowledging Tasuki. "I was truly in love with him. I would give the world just to see him smile at me.... Just to hear him ask me to dinner with the rest of his friends. I worshipped him like a fucking god and this, *this* is the thanks I get! I bet he's never been loved as much as I love him! He didn't have to love me back, but he didn't have to have cybersex with me! He didn't have to make me believe.... He didn't have to throw me to the floor like I was diseased after...after he told me I was beautiful.... After he told...after he told me he loved me.... God Tasuki, what am I going to do?" Duo's voice cracked as he possessed himself of Tasuki's sleeve. "Do you understand, somehow, at least a little bit of how much I loved him? I know I never truly told you that I was in love with him, but you know how it is.... You don't want to jinx it.... Why did he do this to me...? Why...."

"Duo," Tasuki asked, voice filled with fear. "I thought that Heero was just a fuck-crush, really I did. Keep that in mind."

"I know Tasuki...."

"That's why when...when Wufei convinced me that it would be a fun game, that's why I agreed to make up that fake sn and cyber with you."

Duo didn't say anything. His eyes just got really big and his nails began to dig into Tasuki's arm quite painfully.

"I didn't think you were really going to fall for it! Wufei said that if you were a real friend you'd laugh it off in the morning! I didn't think you were going to do it; I thought that I'd tell you it was me before we got anywhere serious! If I had any idea it was going to go this far, I would've stopped, but I couldn't stop when you were so into it! I tried to call you and find you! I tried to do everything to avoid this situation! I never wanted this to happen!"

"You...did...what...?" Duo asked very, very calmly.

Tasuki knew he was mad because he was so calm. The number one telltale sign that Duo was pissed off was that he was dead calm.

Tasuki felt like an endangered species being trapped by poachers and suddenly feared his life as he tried to loosen Duo's hold on his arm.

"Oh fuck," Duo whispered as he slowly sat up and rested his head down on the steering wheel. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," he muttered, his hands tightening around the fuzzy cover.

Tasuki decide it would be a great time to leave and slowly exited the car.

He knew Duo well and he knew that in a few days Duo would forgive him off principal, but he didn't want to make thing worse by sticking around.

~~~

Heero was, well, trapped.

He had no one to turn to. He didn't know what in the hell was going on.

So, he finally showed up on Nuriko's dorm door.

Nuriko was just about the most flamboyant homosexual there was in school. He openly cross-dressed and hugged men and even crushed on them.

They'd talked a very few times, but Heero couldn't think of anyone better to turn to with this, situation.

Nuriko opened the door and was obviously surprised.

"Heero! Well, I didn't expect you, but come in!"

Slowly Heero made his way inside.

"What brings you about, hm? Would you like something to drink? Eat?"

Heero shook his head. "No, Nuriko," he spoke softly. "I just want to know what in the fuck is wrong with me and what I should do about it."

Nuriko rose an eyebrow at this, but told him to sit down and they could talk.

"I suppose you've probably been through all this shit before, with yourself or other people," Heero started and Nuriko waited patiently to find out the punch. "About homosexuality and all and...and coming out of the closet...and everything."

Nuriko tilted his head a bit. "Coming out?"

Heero fumbled when it came to having to refer to himself. "Uh, yeah, um, you know. When a person, um, finally admits they're homosexual."

"And who would this be, Heero?"

Heero paused for a very long time before he buried his head in his hands, clawing at his temples.

"Me, Nuriko. Me. I think I'm gay," he finally managed out and Nuriko smiled and sat down next to him, rubbing his back a little.

"There, you're almost over the worst of it," he spoke optimistically.

Heero sure didn't feel all that optimistic.

"The worst of it my ass," he spat back. "I don't want to be gay, Nuriko! Sure, maybe I've realized that all that orthodox Christianity is a little harsh, but still--! I was raised that way and maybe in the back of my mind somewhere I still am a Christian and I still believe in heaven and hell and that sleeping with another man is a work of the devil and a sin and that the desire to do so will put you in hell! But I can't help it...."

"Of course you can't, Heero," Nuriko cooed. "No one *wants* to be gay, besides the select few freaks who want to be pitied, but you also can't let your fear of it hinder your happiness. You are supposed to live your life so as to make you happy, not to break your back over some higher power that could or couldn't exist. Is something questionable going to tell you how and who to have sex with? I don't think so. Or at least, it shouldn't.

"Loving men isn't a bad thing, Heero, it's actually quite a positive thing. You can't get anyone pregnant, for one." Heero barked a laugh at this and Nuriko smiled. "They understand you better then women, let's face it. There are just some things women can't and will never understand."

"I know this, Nuriko. In my heart I know that all of this is okay, but I just can't make myself believe it. We roasted gays, where I was from. We...we laughed at the Mathew Shepard homicide. Now...now I realize I am everything I abused.... It's really hard for me...."

"Guilt, eh? Believe it or not, a lot of people understand that. They know it's not easy. Some people are raised in environments where everything is cool and they breeze through adolescence being gay, but everyone hits a hard spot. Those people are usually crushed when they come up against someone who wants to kill them. At least you're through the worst of it. Just self-acceptance is hard."

"It's not only that.... I...I did something really stupid today, Nuriko."

Nuriko waited for him to continue, as before.

"I...I'm.... Duo," Heero stuttered, wanting so badly to say what he felt, unable to because his mind begged him not to say the words his heart already knew. "I l-lo.... I love Duo," he finally got out, cringing as he did so, his fingers digging deeper into his hair. "Ev-everything about h-him. When he saw me, he ran into my arms. I didn't understand why. Something about computers, but.... But I.... Oh God, I threw him onto the pavement."

Nuriko gasped and backed away a little bit, appalled by this. "Duo?"

"I know okay! I know.... It was so wrong of me.... But he punched me back pretty hard himself. I guess I was just so freaked out by the fact that he did this in public and that recently, it's been eating at me.... That's the only reason I came. Because I had to get it out. I couldn't keep this inside very much longer."

"Thinking about it a lot?"

Heero nodded. "I was in Georgia visiting my relatives and...and that's when it all started. There was a family reunion and...and my uncle Solo.... He showed up. They weren't going to tell him, but then when he found out, they told him the wrong date. Somehow he knew they were lying and...and he showed up with his partner. My family was so cold to him.... I just.... Since Friday that's all I've been thinking about. I can't even pay attention in class, I'm just thinking about that."

Both men were quiet for a long while. "I think that you should tell him. But I think that you should tell him everything you told me. I think you should tell him about how hard it is for you, right now, to admit this to yourself. He needs to know these things. Duo will support you. But you have to, at all costs, figure out what you are inside because you can have boyfriends and you can have girlfriends, but hell, you have you for the rest of your fucking life and if you don't like you, then you're going to have some pretty big problems. There are people who know what you're going through and will support you whether you're gay, straight, or bi and I know that Duo is one of them. Duo is a great friend, and he doesn't even have to know you well, he'll be there for you. I don't think I can help you beyond that advice. I think that only you have the power to help you from here, Heero."

Heero was silent as he took in the logic of Nuriko's words.

"But it's so difficult--"

"Yeah Heero, difficult things happen everyday but you can't let that stop you. I know you're stronger than this. I know that you'll figure out what you're really about."

~~~

Heero was just brooding when he got the knock on his door.

Wufei stood there.

"Hi Heero. I have come to tell you something I really don't want to because I know you better then Tasuki does, but not by much, so this is kinda stupid, bye."

He promptly then turned and began to walk away, but Heero grabbed him.

"I think there is more than that."

"There is," Wufei sighed. "You know what? We used your name to cyber with Duo for a cheap laugh. Okay? Bye."

Heero just let him go.

He was...stunned.

They...what?

That's what Duo was talking about with the computers then!

How could they do something that awful?

That meant that Duo must've had a crush on him prior to the computers! Why else would they use him for their fun unless they knew that he was crushing on him!

Dammit! He was getting excited and that just added to the fact he was gay....

He had to talk to Duo!

About what? His gayness? Him at all? Maybe he'd talk to Duo about Duo. Or something--! Anything--!

He just wanted to see Duo again!

But how could he when he acted so cruel....

What was he going to do?

Computer!

Heero dashed inside and found out that Duo was indeed on, but as soon as signed on, Duo signed off of all his messengers.

Heero couldn't blame him....

But that meant he'd have to face him in person!

He had to...oh.... He had to....

~~~

"Duo!"

Duo kept walking. He heard Heero behind him, but he wouldn't acknowledge him. Not after he embarrassed himself. Not after Heero had thrown him onto the ground. No matter how stupid Duo looked, throwing himself onto Heero, that was no excuse for the way Heero mistreated him.

Sure, maybe Heero was acting a little odd, running after him instead of the other way around, but that was no excuse either.

"Look, I want to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to you."

Heero wasn't expecting that, but didn't pause.

"Please?"

"Hell no."

"Why not?"

Duo stomped on. "Because I've humiliated myself enough already and I'm not ready to talk to you yet."

"But I understand now! I know about the trick they played on the both of us!"

This hit Duo for a moment and he did pause, but picked back up walking quickly enough.

"Would you fucking shut up already?!" Duo screamed and there was silence, but he could hear Heero's feet padding along behind him.

Always just a few steps behind him.

"Why don't you leave me the fuck alone?" he finally cried, turning around to see Heero standing there looking rejected. "You finally shut up but you still follow me around?! Can't you see you aren't wanted here?"

Heero knew the real reason he kept following Duo, besides the fact that he knew he needed to apologize. Once he was with Duo, he never wanted to leave his presence. Sure, he was madder than hell, but he was still the most beautiful thing about the Earth.

"I-I just want.... I want to be with you...." he whispered so softly Duo almost didn't catch it.

Duo saw his eyes shimmer and realized that Heero Yuy, one of the most feared men on campus, was going to cry.

But Duo laughed. "Yeah. And Brittany Spear's chest is real, too."

Then he watched as a tear slipped down the side of his face. Heero didn't even do anything to wipe it away.

"You won't give me even a minute?" he begged quietly.

Duo then sighed. He couldn't be that mean to anyone.

"Fine. You have one minute."

Heero wanted to grab him in his arms and just hold him, but he knew that would be a waste of his minute, and Duo was blatantly watching his watch right in front of him, so he quickly composed himself before he began to speak.

"Duo, you don't understand. When you hugged me, I was scared. I was more scared than I've been in my entire life."

"Thirty seconds."

"For the past year I've been debating.... I've been...." Goddamn! Why did he become so tongue-tied?!

"Twenty."

"I've been...been debating.... Been debating whether or not I was...was...was homosexual...."

"Ten seconds. You haven't impressed me yet."

"It's been rea.... It's been really hard for me!"

Duo began to turn around and walk off in the other direction.

"It's been really hard for me and I was scared because I love you!" he screamed at Duo, who was now way out of arms reach. "I'm gay," he whispered as Duo kept walking and he felt his world just collapse around him. He couldn't handle it. He thought the pain was over. He thought the pain was over when he got away from his abusive family. He thought he'd never have to go through anything so painful ever again.

But somehow, if maybe not physically, this felt as bad. This knowing that he was gay and the one person in the world he cared about walking away....

He dug his face into his hands as he felt himself slip.

Duo turned around and saw this and was, to say the least, shocked.

Here Heero was, sobbing into his hands and muttering to himself, more broken then he ever thought he'd see a human be. How could he do this to Heero? How could Heero lie and say he loved him?

Slowly he walked back and Heero fell against his shoulder shamefully, his face burning in flush. Ever since he got away from his father, he told himself he'd be strong. He'd never be seen crying. He'd never be as weak as he was then. But here he was, sobbing on Duo's shoulder, and he was weak. He knew he was weak.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Heero shook his head to Duo's question.

"I'm a faggot, Duo," he whispered as Duo flinched at the word. "I'm everything I was raised to hate.... And I love you.... When...when you hugged me, I was so happy, I was so mad...."

The words were so hard to say. His voice kept cracking, his head kept telling him not to speak. Don't speak, don't speak, don't make it true....

His heart told him it was the only way.

"I was mad because I was happy.... I didn't know what to do, so...so I eliminated the threat...."

Duo winced as he grabbed his arm and ran his fingers lightly over the huge, glaring scab that was where he had fallen upon the concrete.

Suddenly Heero pulled away and sniffled back his tears.

"I want to love you, but I won't ask your forgiveness. I don't think it would be a good idea, even if you still had it in you to love me after what I did to you, for us to do anything together. Not because I don't love you, because I don't want to. No, I want to, but I don't want everything that comes with it."

Duo stood there and tried to think of something to say, something to do.

"Do you really think that would be best?" he finally asked and Heero couldn't help but nod.

"I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have."

Duo paused. He didn't want to let this go through his fingers....

"I think it would be best too, Heero," he finally spoke. "You don't know yourself. I don't want to be involved with that. I can't handle that, the pain that comes with it. I can't deal with it. I don't think that we should do anything for a while. Maybe never. It would be for the best. This situation can only get worse."

Both star-crossed lovers stared at each other, trying not to delve too deep in the seas of each other's eyes.

"This is for the best," Heero promised himself as he took a step back from Duo.

"This is for the best," Duo promised back, as he too, stepped away.

"The pain that accompanies this is almost--"

"Don't say anything. The words just make things worse."

And with that, they left each other.

~~~

Three Months Later: Spring Break

~~~

Outrageously loud laughter filled the room. It was Friday night. No one had anywhere to be but with each other in Tamahome's condo by the beach, getting dead drunk. It was probably the most long-term plan the guys ever held. Tamahome invited Tasuki, Duo, Heero, Wufei, Hotohori, Chichiri, and Trowa out for a week of beer and beach and babes. It was about midnight and they were already having more fun then they thought they would for a really long time. There was cheap beer, tons of hot wings, and the beach right outside with little groups of chics and other people hanging out that they could potentially pick up.

Heero and Duo were a little distant for the past three months. They didn't mind being together, just not being forced to talk to each other. Heero was pretty cool with himself, after having three months to work it out. He didn't tell anyone, but he felt that his self-acceptance was everything he needed right then.

Duo was still very much in love with Heero, no matter how much he didn't want to be. He knew that he really needed to avoid him for a few years and not think about him or see him for any of that time, but that wasn't an option so he suffered.

"Chicken, chicken, chicken," Duo clucked as he made his way back for more chicken wings, having lost count of his beer intake a loooong time ago. Luckily none of them were irritable drunks and more the kind that did ridiculous things when they were intoxicated.

"Look! I'm a chic!" Tasuki cried, holding two bowls up to his chest as every laughed. "Look! An elephant!" he announced, holding the bowls behind his ears now and they laughed harder.

"Hey! Let's go get some chicks!" Tamahome declared, jumping on the couch, knocking Tasuki off of it while he bounced up and down on it.

All the men agreed, thrown in disorder.

Well, Duo sat gouging himself on chicken wings as he watched them run out of the sliding glass windows, hopping the porch fence. Duo was content chowing on the rest of the wings and licking his fingers.

Suddenly he felt someone come up behind him and pin him down on the floor.

He closed his eyes and giggled when he felt his neck being licked and smothered in kisses.

"That tickles!" he cried as hands came up under his shirt. "Who are you anyway?"

Suddenly Heero's face appeared in his vision.

"Heero!" he cried, clapping in his drunken stupor, forgetting everything that happened between them except how nice Heero's lips felt....

Heero was also too drunk to see anything besides how fucking hot Duo was and began to feel him out through his pants.

Duo gave way to a little moan as he jumped up, grabbing the back of Heero's shirt and dragging him into a bedroom, slamming the door shut and flinging himself down on the bed, shirt flying open and exposing his beautiful chest.

Heero walked over and slid down on top of him.....

~~~

Duo awoke as the sunlight streamed through the window. A small smile graced his face as he cuddled against the warm body that slept on next to his. He didn't remember much about the night but that they went at it four times that night and he'd felt better than he ever did in his entire life.

Suddenly he turned and almost fell out of the bed.

"Heero!"

Heero's eyes drifted open and he yawned a little and Duo couldn't help but note that he looked adorable.

"Yeah?" he asked, rubbing at his eyelids before blinking and finding them meeting Duo's face and naked body.

"Shit," he answered himself, throwing his face down into the pillow.

Duo laid this cheek in his hand and looked at his partner for the night.

"So we fucked four times last night?"

Heero nodded into the pillow.

"I've never fucked four times in one night before...." Duo murmured thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry," Heero muttered.

"Don't apologize. I don't know about you, but I thought it was great. You don't have to apologize for that. We were drunk." Duo lay down again on his stomach as Heero flipped himself over on his back, turning his head to look at the thoughtful Duo.

"But I wanted too. I wasn't intoxicated enough not to realize that," he admitted shamefully.

Duo sighed and looked at his arms. "I guess it was kind of unavoidable. I never got over you."

Heero was silent for a while.

"I guess we can't have a chance, can we? I.... I found myself and in all my searching, I never got over you, either."

Duo snorted a laugh at Heero's speech.

"Nah, Heero. I'd just be a fuck toy for you."

"How do you know that?"

Duo turned his face away. "Because that's all I am for anyone."

They sat and listened to the waves breaking on the beach before Duo stood and walked over to some of the suitcases and grabbed some swimming trunks, pulling him on then scratching his head, realizing how messed up his hair was.

Then he felt Heero's hands on his hair, slowly combing it out for him before braiding it tight.

Duo turned to see some sort of emotion on his face after he was finished, but he found himself facing the back of his head as he walked out, still naked.

He felt torn as he followed, announcing that he was going to the beach for a swim as Tasuki agreed and they dashed off together.

~~~

  
Duo sat on the beach, just watching the stars and taking in the gentle breeze on his skin.

He heard sand moving and someone walking toward him, the gentle lap of the waves breaking on the surf calming Duo and he didn't bother to look up as the person sat down next to him.

They sat together for a long time in silence and Duo knew it was Heero. He recognized his smell and just the way he acted. He didn't need to see him to know it was him.

"It's nice to be able to see the stars," Heero finally whispered, breaking the nice silence between them.

Both of them knew that the questions begging to be answered between them had to be. Both of them knew that they were going to have a long talk that wasn't going to be fun and neither of them were looking forward to it, but they were both realistic people and knew that the problems had to be worked out.

"Umhmm...." Duo returned. "I had all the constellations memorized once...."

They both sunk into silence as they stared at the stars.

Suddenly Heero began sweeping his hands over the sand, sculpting it.

"I found myself."

"I know," Duo replied. "I waited."

"For what?"

"I waited because I was stupid. I understand everything now."

Heero paused. "I don't follow you."

"Last night, Heero, no.... I can't do anything after last night. You've only confirmed everything I've known now for the past year."

"I still don't understand."

"Before I fell in love with you, I had a boyfriend. I thought we were perfect, I thought he loved me. But Heero, we had sex every night. I got tired of this after awhile. I...I wanted something more. I wanted to sleep with him, not fuck with him. Just once I wanted to fall asleep in his arms, not on his dick. But I stayed with him because I loved him. It took me a full three months before I began to realize that he was cheating on me and using even another man for sex, as he did me. I was merely one of his toys.

"Of course, right then and there we were through, but it took me a while to get over him. I only did so by falling in love with you.

"But after our incident, I tried out other men. The first one tried to get me in bed on the first date, the second raped me, the third didn't look like he would ever touch me. That was a comfort until I realized that we wouldn't have a sex life and that we were totally incompatible.

"Then last night, Heero.... Not after last night. I can't trust you. Or anyone, for that matter."

Heero smirked. "Well you can hardly blame those men. If you were mine, I'd hope we'd have a sex life."

Duo sat up and glared at him and Heero felt that even in the night.

"Don't make fun of me!"

"I'm not!" Heero returned. "I'm not, really. I don't blame you, Duo; I just don't know what to say. I know that I would respect your wishes, but just me saying that doesn't mean anything. You have to decide on your own. I can't force you to do anything."

Duo looked back to the stars and suddenly he felt something tugging gently on his braid and he looked over and found Heero unbelievably close to him, eyes looking ridiculously innocent, mouth upturned in a small smirk.

"Do you normally look so adorable for all the men you go after?" Duo asked with a sigh.

"I've only ever gone after you."

Slowly Heero moved in and let his lips linger over Duo's for a few long moments. He felt Duo's long lashes dance over his face as his eyes closed and he pressed his lips back.

Suddenly the harsh glaring of a flashlight broke them away.

"Break it up you two!" Tasuki announced quite loudly, hands on hips. "We were worried about you guys!"

Duo was blushing something horrendous and covered his face with his hands as Heero glared at the redheaded idiot.

They got up and followed him back to the condo.

"So, you two a couple?" he called over his shoulder, halfway there. Both Heero and Duo looked at each other and Heero replied "No."

Tasuki smirked. "Tsk, tsk. Kissing and ya aren't a couple."

"It's none of your business," Duo spat.

"Okay, okay! I'll stay out of it!" Tasuki replied, dashing away when they saw the light of the condo.

Heero and Duo, however, continued to walk slowly, their minds reeling and begging each other to do something or say something before the entire night was lost and nothing was resolved.

Slowly, however, their hands brushed against one another and even more nonchalantly, their fingers twinned up, both ignoring the touch on the outside, but screaming surprise and happiness on the inside.

Under a tree in the bright light of the condo, Heero stopped and Duo, hand still locked tight, stopped with him. He drew him back a little bit and stared down into his eyes.

"Might as well finish what we started," he spoke before placing a tender kiss on Duo's lips.

Duo kissed him back, but broke away and dashed up the stairs into the house.

Heero smirked.

"This isn't over yet."

~~~

"Want to go to town?" Heero asked as he lounged on the beach with a beer.

Duo and Tasuki sat to the side with their own beers burying Wufei in the sand.

"Why?" Tasuki asked.

"I don't know," Heero replied sarcastically. "Because it's there and none of us know what's there."

"Hey Duo," Tasuki hissed, punching him in the arm. "You should go."

"Why would I want to go?" he replied, annoyed.

"So you could test him," Tasuki answered, smirking. "See if he lives up to your expectations."

Duo sighed and knew only two things.

A: He would never get out of it because Tasuki would shove him into Heero's arms.

B: He actually *wanted* to go out on the town with Heero.

"If no one wants to come with me, I'll go myself," Heero spoke, pulling on a white tank top that matched with his green board shorts.

"I...I'll go," Duo finally spoke up, standing and pulling on his own tank top.

Heero swallowed the rest of his beer and threw it in a near by bin as he waited for Duo to slid on his flip-flops and dashed across the beach after him.

"Tasuki pressured you into this, didn't he?" Heero asked.

"Well...." Duo muttered.

Heero shrugged. "It's not like there's anything between us."

Duo paused as Heero kept walking.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Exactly."

At first, they were very nervous around each other, afraid almost to speak. Both of them wanted to make a good impression on the other. But after an hour they loosened up and acted like friends, but innuendo was definitely flying. Heero bought him flowers from a little stand and Duo would hang on his arm occasionally.

Heero was conscious not to ever touch Duo in a suggestional way and tried to pick up on his body language before he bought him anything.

Duo took in the fact that Heero wasn't doing anything that he didn't want him to do or touching him or flirting with him too much.

By one, both of them were starving and decided to hang at small hot dog shop.

Duo ordered chilidogs and Heero ordered a few pieces of pizza, not being a big hot dog person.

"This is going to be hard for me, but I'm going to say it," Duo opened after there was a pause between their laughter and jokes. Heero waited patiently. "This feels like a date to me," he finally finished.

Heero reached over and let his hands trail the table in front of Duo's fingers. Duo reached out and brushed his tips over Heero's. Slowly the ends of their fingers blended.

"You know, it doesn't have to happen all at once. We can start slow. We don't have to move in together as soon as we start dating or anything, if we do start dating, that is," Heero added quickly. "We don't have to cohabitate first thing."

Duo looked up at him through his long bangs and studied his face.

"Really?"

"Of course," Heero replied. "We can go as slow as you like."

Duo paused. "Slow.... Slow would be nice...."

Heero nodded. "That would be fine."

Duo's slid his hand to lock it with Heero's and squeezed it tight.

"I would like that."


End file.
